Senior Medical Entomologist

Job description

Job responsibilities

• Support programme managers to deliver a programme of work as set out in the teams/divisions business plan.
• Investigate worldwide entomological and infectious disease literature and other sources on emerging and re-emerging vector-borne diseases, to identify vector-borne disease risks that might be relevant to UK public health.
• Further develop vector research and surveillance activities for human vector-borne diseases, leading on specific projects and utilising a range of research methods (desk/lab/field-based), statistical analyses and entomological research techniques to identify risks that might be relevant to UK public health as specified in the business plan.
• Critically analyse and interpret data and information on complex, sensitive or contentious issues from internally and externally funded contract work, drawing conclusions and making recommendations for the way forward, including the production of reports, presentations, peer-reviewed publications and funding applications where appropriate.
• Take responsibility for the supervision, training and mentoring of staff allocated to the projects you lead. Deputise for the Principle Medical Entomologist as required and represent Medical Entomology & Zoonoses Ecology at key cross-government (or equivalent) meetings when necessary.
• Lead projects and mentor staff on vector-borne disease related surveillance and research in the UK and overseas (if required), ensuring timely delivery of reports to funders and stakeholders.
• Liaise with colleagues in UKHSA and other Government Departments to assist with developing robust reporting lines for emerging VBD events and establish and maintain links/collaborations with other national and international experts in order to obtain relevant technical information, discuss ideas, describe work developments and progress.
• Act as a point of contact to provide advice on vector-borne disease issues, providing assistance to UKHSA staff, programme managers and other stakeholders.
• Assist in developing responses to internal correspondence and parliamentary questions. Supporting or leading the delivery of reports / risk assessments to Government.
• Assist in producing advice and guidance materials on vector-borne disease risks for dissemination to local authorities or other government agencies responsible for health and wellbeing in their area.
• Assist in providing written and verbal advice on the protection of the public from vector-borne disease issues where appropriate, including providing training and support to UKHSA centres, and local authorities on tick and mosquito related issues.

The duties/responsibilities listed above describe the post as it is at present and is not intended to be exhaustive. The Job holder is expected to accept reasonable alterations and additional tasks of a similar level that may be necessary.

STAGE 1 - APPLICATION & SIFT:

You will be required to complete an application form and statement of suitability (1500 words max). This will be assessed in line with the essential criteria please do provide evidence of how you meet this.

If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to an interview.

STAGE 2 INTERVIEW

This competition will involve an interview by video.

As part of the process, candidates will be invited to interview which will involve an in-depth discussion of your previous experience and professional competence in relation to the criteria set out in the Person Specification.

Your Statement of Suitability should outline your skills, experience, and achievements, providing evidence of your suitability for the role, with reference to the essential criteria (outlined in the person specification section).

You will also be asked to provide information within the Employer/ Activity history section of the application form. This is equivalent to the information you would provide on a CV, setting out your career history.

Expected Timeline:

Advert close: 23:55hrs on the 8th of January 2024 unfortunately, late applications will not be considered. Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Shortlist: w/c 8th of January 2024

Interviews: w/c 29th of January 2024

Please note these dates could be subject to change.

Eligibility Criteria

Open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including by definition internal applicants)

Nationality requirements

Appointments to roles within UKHSA will be made in accordance with the Civil Service nationality rules. These can be found athttps://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationality-rulesThis job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• Nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• Nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• Nationals from the EU, EEA or Switzerland with settled or pre-settled status or who apply for either status by the deadline of theEuropean Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• Relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals working in the Civil Service
• Relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals who have built up the right to work in the Civil Service
• Certain family members of the relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's Recruitment Principles.

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment.

Security clearance level requirement

Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is Basic Personnel Security Standard. People working with government assets must complete Basic Personnel Security Standard checks.

For posts on UKHSA Civil Service terms and conditions, new entrants to the Civil Service are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band. For existing Civil Servants and roles advertised across government, the rules of transfer apply, i.e., level transfers move on current salary or the pay range minimum, transfers on promotion move to new pay range minimum or receive a 10% increase. Either case is determined by whichever is the highest.

Please Note

This role is to be appointed under Civil Service Terms & Conditions. Full details on the T&Cs are found https://www.ukhsa.reed.com/

Are you already a civil servant, or employed by a Civil Service Commission accredited public body? Please state home department on your application form.

Do you meet the nationality requirements for this post? https://www.ukhsa.reed.com/

Complaint process:

The law requires that selection for appointment to the Civil Service is on merit on the basis of fair and open competition as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's Recruitment Principles. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles, and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact UKHSA Public Accountability Unit via email:Complaints1@ukhsa.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: Visit the Civil Service Commission website.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• PhD in medical entomology OR MSc and postgraduate experience OR degree and substantial relevant experience

Knowledge and Experience

Essential

• Significant experience in medical entomology e.g. identification of arthropods, field and laboratory-based techniques, public health communication, risk assessment and statistical analyses
• Experience of developing and co-ordinating complex field-based research projects with potentially changing priorities or tight deadlines
• Demonstration of an active research profile through contribution to peer review publications and knowledge of the key public health issues surrounding vector-borne diseases
• Experience of drafting papers, presentations and correspondence for internal and external stakeholders for project meetings and/or training purposes

Desirable

• Experience of contributing to large scale vector surveillance programmes
• Experience of staff recruitment, selection and supervision

Skills, Capabilities and Behaviours

Essential

• Excellent communication skills, team player and ability to work constructively with people across a wide range of settings and levels
• Ability to prepare and produce evidence based scientific material for dissemination to a broad range of stakeholders, including non-specialists, as required
• Ability to identify scientific issues drawn from multiple sources, undertake comprehensive literature reviews, assess materials with conflicting states and interpret detailed documents that may include legislation
• Demonstrated capability to act upon incomplete information, using experience to make inferences and decisions
• Demonstrated capability to plan over short, medium and long-term timeframes and adjust plans and resource requirements, accordingly, including flexibility in unpredictable situations e.g. response to global public health threats
• Evidence of continuing professional development with high degree of self-motivation

Desirable

• Experience of contributing to research proposals

Equality and Diversity

Essential

• An understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relationships.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Employer details

Employer name

UK Health Security Agency

Address

UK Health Security Agency - Porton

Manor Farm Road

Salisbury

SP4 0JG

Employer's website

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-health-security-agency (Opens in a new tab)